A man brandishing a hammer alarmed residents when he stormed onto their properties in Paraparaumu on Waitangi Day.

Sergeant Ian Osland said the ''intoxicated'' man had information about a domestic incident that occurred several days earlier and ''tried to take the law into his own hands''.

''He's been in and out of a number of residential properties armed with a hammer trying to find the guy he's after... the occupants have come out to see what the ruckus is and been confronted by the guy with a hammer threatening them.''

Police received several calls from alarmed residents on Amohia St, and arrested a man as he left the last property at about 7.30pm.

A 34-year-old Paekakariki man was charged with possession of an offensive weapon and threatening behaviour.

Mr Osland said three other people were arrested, but police believe two of them were attempting to discourage his actions and they were released. A Porirua woman in her 30s or 40s was charged with disorderly behaviour.

The pair will appear in the Porirua District Court on Tuesday.

Police had not found the hammer.

In another incident, police arrested a man on Monday after a woman was allegedly threatened at her Paraparaumu workplace by her ex-partner.

Police were notified by her employers and made a trespass order against the man, aged about 24, said Mr Osland.

The following day police found the man at his home in Paraparaumu and charged him with threatening to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of cannabis.